SERIES PREVIEW: Lethbridge Hurricanes (7) vs. Swift Current Broncos (2)

The Swift Current Broncos are back in the WHL Playoffs for the first time since winning it all in 2018, and they look dangerous.

Led by Arizona Coyotes prospect Conor Geekie, who was acquired in a blockbuster trade in January, The Broncos are the fifth-highest-scoring team in the WHL and hit 40 wins for the third time since 2009. Swift Current has seven players who eclipsed 20 goals in 2023-24.

But Lethbridge won’t be an easy out.

Bolstered by strong goaltending and defence, the Hurricanes have allowed the fifth-fewest goals in the league and have one of the top penalty kills.

The Canes traded for 20+ goal-scorers Dylan Sydor and Sean Tschigerl to help boost their offence, while 2024 NHL Draft-eligible forwards Brayden Edwards and Miguel Marques led the team in points.

Lethbridge also held a slight advantage in the regular-season series, taking it 4-3-1-0.

This meeting will mark the first time these teams have met in the postseason since the Broncos dispatched the Hurricanes in six games in Round Three of the 2018 WHL Playoffs.

Swift Current would go on to win its third Ed Chynoweth Cup by defeating Everett in the WHL Final.

Game One of the first-round matchup is set for Friday, March 29 at 7:00 p.m. CST in Swift Current at the InnovationPlex.

STAT PACK

	Swift Current Broncos	Lethbridge Hurricanes
Record	40-22-4-2	33-28-7-0
Leading Scorers	Conor Geekie (43G, 56A, 99PTS) Clarke Caswell (26G, 51A, 77PTS) Rylan Gould (23G, 45A, 68PTS)	Miguel Marques (28G, 46G, 74PTS) Brayden Edwards (31G, 39A, 70PTS) Sean Tschigerl (27G, 35A, 62PTS)
Leading Goaltender	Reid Dyck (25-7-2-0, 2.70, .911)	Harrison Meneghin (27-20-5-0, 2.59, .919)
Powerplay	21.1% (12th)	20.7% (15th)
Penalty Kill	73.3% (18th)	81.1% (3rd)
2023 WHL Playoffs	Did Not Qualify	Lost First Round (Moose Jaw)
Last WHL Championship	2018	1997

 

Regular Season Series: Lethbridge leads 4-3-1-0
September 22, 2023- Swift Current 1, Lethbridge 3
September 23, 2023- Lethbridge 5, Swift Current 2
December 8, 2023- Lethbridge 5, Swift Current 3
December 9, 2023- Lethbridge 1, Swift Current 3
December 27, 2023- Swift Current 7– Lethbridge 6 (OT)
January 3, 2024- Swift Current 3, Lethbridge 6
January 31, 2024- Lethbridge 0, Swift Current 6
February 14, 2024- Lethbridge 1, Swift Current 4

GAME BREAKERS

Swift Current Broncos: Conor Geekie has been putting on a show since making the move to Speedy Creek. The Arizona Coyotes prospect had a career season with 99 points- even if you took away the 49 points Geekie earned with Wenatchee before coming to Swift Current, he’d still tie for the third most goals on the Broncos with 23 tallies and 27 assists in 29 games. Geekie ranks fourth in the WHL with 1.81 points/game. He’s battle-tested in the playoffs, with two deep runs under his belt with the Winnipeg ICE. Geekie has nine goals and 19 assists in 34 total postseason games.

Lethbridge Hurricanes: Brayden Edwards more than doubled his goal and points total from last season by becoming the lone Hurricanes player to crack 30 goals and sit second in points with 70. Entering his second year of NHL Draft eligibility, Edwards had five games where he registered three points or more, including one hat trick. The Abbotsford, B.C. product had the most points of any skaters in the Lethbridge/Swift Current regular season series with six goals and five assists.

GOALTENDING

Swift Current Broncos: This matchup could be prime ground for a goaltender’s duel. Boston Bruins prospect Reid Dyck was red-hot in the second half of the season, earning WHL Goaltender of the Month honours in February. Dyck went 9-0-1-0 over that stretch with a 1.81 goals-against average, .931 save percentage and one shutout, helping the Broncos push their way up the WHL’s Eastern Conference standings. Notably, Dyck did not dress for six of Swift Current’s regular season games against Lethbridge and won both matchups he started, going 2-0-0-0, allowing only one goal for a .50 goals-against average, a .980 save percentage and one shutout. This will be Dyck’s first trip to the WHL Playoffs.

Lethbridge Hurricanes: What can’t Harrison Meneghin do? His 27 wins were the fifth-most in the league, his .919 save percentage ranks second, his 2.59 goals-against average is sixth and his three shutouts are tied for third. The South Surrey, B.C. product was named Giuseppe WHL Goaltender of the Week to kick off January after going 2-0-0-0 against the Red Deer Rebels and then-Central Division-leading Medicine Hat Tigers. He owns a 3-2-0-0 record against the Broncos in the regular season with a 3.02 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage.

X FACTOR

Swift Current Broncos: Both teams feature some sturdy blueliners who could help turn the tide of this playoff series. Swift Current made a splash in early January by signing import defenceman Jakub Dvorak. The 6-foot-5, 203-pound L.A. Kings prospect may not be a flashy points guy with two goals and eight assists in 20 games, but his +19 rating and punishing physical play can’t be denied. The Czech product left the team to attend to a personal matter at home in late February but made it back for Swift Current’s final two regular season games.This will mark Dvorak’s first taste of the WHL postseason.

Lethbridge Hurricanes: 6-foot-4, 200-pound defender Noah Chadwick makes an impact in every situation for the Hurricanes. With 12 goals and 44 assists and a +13 rating in 66 games in his second full WHL season, the Toronto Maple Leafs prospect sits fifth on Lethbridge in points. 18 of those points have come on the powerplay and he’s a fixture on the team’s penalty kill, which ranks third-best in the league at 81.1%. His three game-winning goals aren’t too shabby, either. Chadwick had eight assists in six appearances against the Broncos in the regular season, including a career-best four-assist night against the Broncos on January 3.

SERIES SCHEDULE